Fallen Angel, The Passion of Fausto Coppi by William Fotheringham, Hardback

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Fausto Coppi was the 'campionissimo', the champion of cycling champions. He was the greatest cyclist of the immediate postwar years.

He was the first to win the double of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, then he did it again. His epic rivalry with Gino Bartali still divides Italian fans today.

Coppi's scandalous divorce (at a time when adultery was still a criminal offence) remains a landmark case in Italy's shift away from the Church.

William Fotheringham tells the story of Coppi's life and tragic early death. Coppi became a symbol of a nation's rebirth after the war. It is a portrait of a country and sport at a time of tumultuous change.

Yellow Jersey Press. Hardback. 283 pages. Printed 2009. 22x14cms.